The exercise is expected to benefit over 300 youth in the Region who are unemployed with skills training in beads making, hair-dressing, make-up arts and construction works.

The beneficiaries would also be trained on digital marketing, customer care services, financial management, Information Technology and Entrepreneurship skills.

MTN will also scale-up education on the need for the youth to stay away from drugs to avoid its health and societal implications.

The youth empowerment drive is in line with its social responsibility programme dubbed "21 Days of Y'ello Care", to undertake activities that would empower the youth to make positive impacts in their communities.

The annual initiative started on Saturday June 1 and expected to end on Friday June 21 on the theme, "Creating a Brighter Future for the Youth".

Mrs. Regina Arkaifie, Human Resource Manager of MTN in-charge of Central and Western Regions speaking at a sensitisation programme for the youth and pupils of Egyaa M/A basic school in the Mfantseman Municipality, explained that the skills training would be done by the Cape Coast and Takoradi Technical Universities (TTU).

That, she affirmed was an indicative of MTN's commitment to empowering the human resource base of the country to contribute meaningfully to national development.

Using her life experiences as an example, Mrs. Arkaifie admonished the pupils to understand that where she had reached in life was 'not through sudden flight' but rather discipline, hard work, persistence, perseverance and dedication to studies.

Therefore, they should eschew laziness and procrastination saying "it was the number one downfall of a lot of students" and urged them to rather seek for knowledge in all their endeavours.

Nana Otsiwa Kuma VI, Ankobeahen of Anomabo Traditional Area and the Chief of Egyaa number two, advised the students to be wary of bad friends and bad habits that could derail them of their future prospects.

He was unhappy about the indiscriminate abuse of drugs by the youth, especially students and called on them to stay away from hard drugs.

The Ankobeahen of Anomabo Traditional Area said alcoholism and smoking of Indian hemp popularly known as "Wee" as the most abused drugs in the country, adding that they should not be deceived into believing that the use of hard substance could enhance their studies and enable them perform better in class.

Ms. Mavis Haizel-Cobbina, the Head teacher of the School was full of praise to MTN for the gesture and called for more support from MTN and other corporate bodies to support teaching and learning in the school.